1.Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device for extinguishing cigarettes, which is very easy to use, is simple in design and materials (and can therefore be mass-produced at low cost), and, most importantly, exhibits one or more exterior areas that can be used for advertisements, logos, and messages, thus making the device very attractive as a give-away or as a very inexpensive item, to be used for promotional activities.
2. Background
Numerous devastating fires, often in remote forest and brush areas (but also in houses, apartments, and mobile homes), are caused every year by the careless disposal of still-glowing cigarette butts, especially by glowing butts thrown out of automobile windows by drivers or passengers. Besides causing great economic damage to individuals, the environment, and the U.S. economy in general (thus affecting every taxpayer in the U.S.A. through Government-financed fire-fighting, restoration and reclamation), such carelessly started fires have also caused loss of lives, including the lives of firefighters tasked to extinguish or confine the fires. Such man-made catastrophes occur especially frequently in the dry western part of the U.S.A.
Most drivers and passengers of automobiles extinguish their cigarette butts by crushing them in the (sometimes very small) ashtrays installed for this purpose in automobiles, and most responsible smokers in living quarters use ashtrays, too. A small number of smokers, however, fail to use the designated ashtrays because of inattention or ignorance.
3. Description of the Prior Art
Several cigarette-extinguishing devices that go beyond simple ashtrays have been described in the patent literature of the past 50 years or so. Many of these devices are functional, as described in the patents, but none of them has found widespread use in the U.S.A. The results of our limited research suggest that the main reasons are the lack of motivation on the part of the potential users to bother with the sometimes cumbersome devices, combined with the slight inconvenience of using them, and the relatively high manufacturing costs and, therefore, high retail costs of the devices (notwithstanding the claims made in several of the above-mentioned patents that the devices are "simple and easy to manufacture" or "inexpensive to manufacture"). In recent years, the motivation of smokers to use safe, "positive" cigarette-extinguishing methods has increased because of increased public emphasis on, and awareness of, environmental issues; this is supported and enhanced by slogans and cartoon figures like Smokey, the Bear. However, cigarette-extinguishing devices are still virtually unknown to most of the potential users in the USA, and such devices are not generally available, if at all. Therefore, a device for extinguishing cigarettes is needed, which can be used in a variety of scenarios, is made of fire-resistant materials, is easy and safe to use, and, above all, is inexpensive and therefore readily accepted by the potential users. The acceptance by the potential users depends, in addition to genuine environmental and safety concerns and ease of use, mainly on two factors:
the device must be available at no or minimal cost, and/or PA1 the design and appearance of device must elicit a positive response from the users by appealing to some of the users' preferences, e.g., by displaying a certain design or logo (NRA, NBA, Smokey, Happy Face, etc.). PA1 national and international companies advertising either their logos or some specific products, such as oil companies, car makers, food, beverage, and cigarette manufacturers and distributors, theme parks (e.g., Disneyland), and the like; PA1 individual states (e.g., Florida), townships (e.g., Las Vegas), individual resorts and hotels or hotel chains (e.g., Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas), and the like; PA1 popular sports teams and sports events (football, baseball, basketball, golf, etc.) clubs and associations (e.g., Lions, Shriners, VFW, NRA, etc.), convention and exposition organizers (e.g., COMDEX, Expo, etc.), and the like; PA1 Governments entities (e.g., EPA, National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, etc.).
To provide anything free of charge, or very cheap (e.g., below cost), in a free economy, an individual or a company must be willing to bear the manufacturing and distributing costs, or provide subsidies. In turn, there must be an incentive, a reason, for the sponsors to bear all or part of the cost. One such incentive is to provide the sponsor with the possibility to use the device for advertising his company or company products to the targeted users (and others being in the proximity of the device and thus also being exposed to such advertisements).
Sponsors and distributors who might find sponsoring such a device attractive include
None of the inventors who have been issued patents for cigarette extinguishers (the "prior art") has recognized the above-explained promotional features and requirements, especially the importance for adding an area of advertising space, features that are paramount to the successful introduction of such devices to the public. What is therefore deemed to be new and above the prior art is outlined below.